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Christian Prayer thread

991 replies

Dutchoma · 25/10/2018 13:32

NIGHT PRAYER

Comfort me with Your love O God
Wrap me up in Your strong embrace
Shelter me from the storm O Lord
Envelop me in Your tender care
By day I pour out my heartbreak to You
By night I give you my racing thoughts
In You I take refuge
In You I will not be afraid
For you hold me strong, You hold me safe
Calm my fearful heart O God
Still my anxious mind O Lord
For all my life is found in You
All my being is given to You
All my hope begins in You

Prayer found on web.dawesvillecps.wa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/17th-September.pdf

I found this prayer on Facebook and tought it was a beautiful way to start the new prayer thread.

There was a beautiful picture with it too, but I don’t know how to transfer that.

OP posts:
Tuo · 13/12/2018 22:20

You are very welcome Ifeelinclined. Prayers for you in your treatment for infertility and as you prepare for your move. Those are two very stressful things to be going through, so please try to take time to rest and be kind to yourself too.

Prayers, too, for rest tonight, for Ifeel but also for BES and Becca. And prayers too for Oma, MHD, Grace, Forestiera and anyone else out there lurking (or whom I've forgotten).

I'm sharing a prayer tonight that is very special to me (despite its excruciating use in the film 'Meet the Parents', which nearly ruined it for me...). I learned it at school, but years later, when I started flirting with Christianity again, the last part was one of the few prayers I could remember (along with the Lord's prayer)... but it was so appropriate to me at that point in my life to pray for nothing more than that I might know God, love God, and follow God. Any other prayers just derived from those, in time. I still use this prayer a lot.

Anyway, enough waffle. Here you go - a prayer of St RIchard of Chichester:

Thanks be to thee, my Lord Jesus Christ,
for all the benefits thou hast given me,
for all the pains and insults thou hast borne for me.
O most merciful redeemer, friend and brother,
may I know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
and follow thee more nearly, day by day.
Amen.

BlackeyedGruesome · 13/12/2018 22:59

ds ios finally asleep after some loud shouting. I hope I get a bed to myself for the night and no wake ups.

Becca19962014 · 13/12/2018 23:04

Thankyou. Going to do my advent reading and compline then attempt sleep.

BlackeyedGruesome · 14/12/2018 07:35

well I slept reasonably well and only got stepped on once in the middle of the night, which only required a mumble at ds.

next trick is to get him sleeping abck in his own bed.

Becca19962014 · 14/12/2018 09:18

I slept ok but got cold and woke in pain. Meeting soon.

I hope you can manage the next trick bes

BlackeyedGruesome · 14/12/2018 15:12

Hope the meeting went well...

just off to tackle the school run

Becca19962014 · 14/12/2018 19:06

It was dreadful Sad

DRE56322 · 14/12/2018 21:17

I'm sorry about that. At least its over.

Becca19962014 · 14/12/2018 23:06

Literally, they've ended my support. I'm on my own.

Tuo · 14/12/2018 23:28

Praying tonight for those who are tired, for those who are disappointed, for those who are ill, for those who are stressed, for those who are anxious, for those who are lonely, for those who are fed up of waiting, and for those who feel there is nothing worth waiting for.

Lord, be with us in this time of waiting...
Grant us peace in our hearts and in our lives, that we might await you with quiet conviction.
Grant us hope, that we might see, at the end of our waiting, the joy of new life.
Grant us courage, that our waiting might come to fruition in actions that change us and change the world.
Grant us love, that by sharing our waiting we might comfort and encourage one another.
And grant us the faith that overcomes the frustration of the times when nothing seems to be happening, and the certainty that you will come, and that your coming will transform us, our lives, and our world.
Amen, come Lord Jesus.

Tuo · 14/12/2018 23:29

Cross-posted with you Becca. I'm really sorry to hear that. I don't know what to suggest, practically, but please know that you are being prayed for.

Becca19962014 · 15/12/2018 00:15

I need, desperately your prayers. I've an impossible decision to make and, I can't. I've been praying all evening, begging, pleading and nothing.

So here it is.

I'm a member of a religious community. Today I was told I must choose my faith of that community or mindfulness And other "spiritual cleansing stuff" for a year. I cannot do these and remain with the community. It's strict but supportive with faith issues and as you know I've not got that anywhere else. They've stuck by me when everyone else has turned their back. I can't give up on it. I studied for years and spent years finding one which would accept me. It's a vital part of my day to day existence, but vows are for life. If I was to do what they've told me to get any, and I mean, any, support I must leave. I'd have nothing. No one in RL.

They said if I refuse that'll be an end to all support as I'll be recorded as failing to engage.

They asked me to get the nun responsible for me to come to a meeting, but as they're enclosed that's been refused.

I rang and spoke to them in desperation and they've said if I leave I cannot under any circumstances go back. My vows were for life. They even questioned my vocation because I asked them for prayers about this.

I can't.

Sad
DRE56322 · 15/12/2018 00:23

Oh, Becca, that is awful. I'll keep you in my prayers tonight.

Becca19962014 · 15/12/2018 00:44

Thankyou. It's so hard, too hard, how do I pray for an answer that's breaking my heart? I feel like my soul is being ripped.

What if he made a mistake and doesn't really want me and I don't belong to him after all and I'm just delusional like they say? I'm getting worse and can't cope. My daily services and prayer is what sustains me. I've missed it today as I can't cope and feel dreadful.

But what if they're right and it's the only way? How I can let them, and possibly God, down? It took years of study to get accepted and meetings and interviews. All for nothing. Like my degrees and study and worklife. I'm just a blob that's no use to anyone.

Today's reading was about the unique things God uses me for.
Today I was used to demonstrate how much time had been wasted on pointless appointments.

When I ask for support they said I was just struggling more because of bereavement and needed cruse so my care should pass to them. Cruse waiting list is a year here. I don't have a year with my health. Also they wouldn't support me because I'm struggling too much day to day.

The day before she killed herself they told my godmother the same thing. They even admitted to it at her inquest - just bereavement and they don't "do" that.

I'm a fool aren't I for thinking they understood?

Dutchoma · 15/12/2018 07:11

Becca I have to admit that I do not understand all of the ramifications of your daily life and your belonging to this religious community.
But one think I do know: that God does not make mistakes. He loves you, He wants to bless you and enable you to lead a holy life that is pleasing to Him.

It may be possible (nobody but you can decide - this is not a judgment that I or anybody else can make) that you have made wrong choices.

I most certainly think that your godmother made a wrong choice when she killed herself. Nobody has the right to do that.

And all I can say and hope and pray for you is that you will be able to rely on God alone when everything else is stripped away.

OP posts:
Tuo · 15/12/2018 09:02

Oh Becca... Prayers assured.

Typing on phone, so excuse brevity.

Like Oma, I don't really understand what this means for your daily life. But I truly believe that God does not issue ultimatums. I turned my back on him for a long time. But the moment I turned around with an open mind and heart, there he was. He did not demand anything from me, and he does not, I believe, from you. If you are being told that you have failed to meet some criterion or other, that's a human criterion, not God's. We are none of us 'good enough'... but God loves us anyway. More than we can begin to comprehend. Praying you know something of that love today. Thinking of you.

Becca19962014 · 15/12/2018 10:02

Thankyou.

He doesn't make mistakes. But what if I've not been truely called by God? Im just delusional like they say I Am?

Dutchoma · 15/12/2018 11:22

You may not have been called by God to take the path you did. Maybe so. If the group of people that path has led you to are saying things like “you are worthless and delusional” then maybe, just maybe that was never the right path to take. But that does not mean you have not been called by God. God would never call you delusional or worthless. You are of infinite worth to Him and people who say anything else are wrong..
Thinking about you, the Scripture that I have been given is “Be still and know that I am God”. Can you clear your mind of everything else and only let that Scripture be in your head? Even for five minuttes?

OP posts:
Becca19962014 · 15/12/2018 12:03

Just to clarify its mh team who say I'm delusional.

Had an email from a vicar where I used to attend (completely different vicar now and I can no longer get to that church but he replied anyway) and he'd gone to mh tream with others, he's been told not to anymore.

Tuo · 15/12/2018 23:08

Once again, I am sorry that things are so difficult, Becca. I hope and pray that you were able to find some peace of mind today.

Here is a prayer from tonight's Northumbria Compline.

The God of life with guarding hold us;
the loving Christ with guarding fold us;
the Holy Spirit, guarding, mould us;
each night of life to aid, enfold us;
each day and night of life uphold us. Amen

Becca19962014 · 15/12/2018 23:17

I went out and some people were very kind to me.
But I'm struggling. A lot.

Becca19962014 · 16/12/2018 21:43

If you could keep me in prayers I'd appreciate it.
Ended up crying in pharmacy today begging for medication Sad

BlackeyedGruesome · 16/12/2018 23:01

Flowers hope you are not allergic

BlackeyedGruesome · 16/12/2018 23:01

(hEDS and all that)

Becca19962014 · 16/12/2018 23:07

I'm not.